This invention relates generally to audio speakers, and more specifically to a retractable speaker assembly for a partition.
Audio speaker systems have traditionally been mounted or installed into homes so that the audio speaker systems and specifically the speaker are visible to the occupants of the room. Since the speaker size is often significant, an ability to conceal the speaker so as to improve the overall appearance of the room would be desirable.
Prior art audio speaker systems for a room and for an automobile have tried to address some of the aforenoted problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,760 issued on Jun. 14, 1994 to Davidson Textron Inc. of Dover, N.H. by assignment from the inventor John D. Gray. This patent relates to a housing in which is mounted a speaker. The housing is mounted on a platform which is attached by trunnions to corresponding mounts. Mounts are secured to an automobile window ledge that extends between a rear seat and a rear window of the automobile, the housing is capable of rotation about an axis extending through the center of trunnions. Operation of actuator in the clockwise direction causes platform, and thus housing, to rotate upwards about axis from the retracted position to the extended position. Sideways rotation of housing is achieved by an actuator mounted on the topside of platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,501 issued on Feb. 8, 1994 to the inventor Harry A. Castillo. This patent relates to an arcuate speaker which is arranged for pivotal mounting relative to a vehicular rear shelf plate in operative communication with a cover plate, wherein pivoting of the speaker in communication with a bottom surface of the rear shelf plate effects pivotal displacement of the cover plate for audible access of the speaker relative to an associated passenger compartment of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,032 issued to Mark A. Nuernberger on May 8, 1990. This patent relates to a ceiling panel sound system having a completely self-containing high fidelity speaker system that is installed in a supporting gridwork for a suspended ceiling. The speakers are installed in a rectangular mounting panel having a shape that corresponds to the ceiling tile.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,796 was issued on Nov. 12, 1996 to Bose Corporation of Farmingham, Mass. This patent relates to a mount for mounting a loudspeaker in a room boundary structure having an outside surface away from the inside of the room which includes a frame constructed and arranged to rest on the outside surface. A spring has a first end attached to the frame and a free second end. The spring is constructed and arranged to exert a unidirectional force toward the outside surface whenever the second end of the spring is displaced from the outside surface toward the inside of the room.
Daniel N. Green, the inventor, assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,842 which issued on Jan. 2, 1990 to Posh Diversified Inc. of Oregon. This patent relates to an assembly for mounting a loudspeaker in a ceiling including a layer of sheet material, said assembly comprising: a mounting plate having an inner edge defining a circular opening; a circular ring extending down from the inner edge of said plate around said opening for forming an abutment to said sheet material of said ceiling; a recessed circular shoulder extending inward from the inner edge of said plate around said opening for mounting a loudspeaker in said opening; and a cover plate for covering said opening in said mounting plate, said cover plate including a screen and adapted for being removably mounted onto said circular ring in said mounting plate.
The object of one aspect of the invention is to provide an improved retractable speaker assembly for installation in a partition.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a retractable speaker assembly for a partition having a housing, a cavity, and actuator and a panel where the housing is retractable from a first closed position to a second operable position by the actuator. The partition may conceal the housing when the speaker assembly is in the first closed position. In the second operable position the housing is exposed. The panel is associated with the housing in such a way that the cavity is closed when the housing is in the first closed position.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a retractable speaker assembly for a ceiling having a housing, a cavity, and actuator and a panel where the housing is retractable from a first closed position to a second operable position by the actuator. The ceiling may conceal the housing when the speaker assembly is in the first closed position. In the second operable position the housing is exposed. The panel is associated with the housing in such a way that the cavity is closed when the housing is in the first closed position.
In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a retractable speaker assembly further comprising a pivot means such that the panel is retractable relative to the partition by the pivot means.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a retractable speaker assembly where the actuator is a rack and pinion means.
An advantage of the present invention over the prior art is that the speaker assembly is retractable into the partition and concealed by the panel when the system is not operating, yet the speaker assembly is then visible and oriented for optimum sound when the system is in the second operable position.